About the Artist
Justin DeMattico is a figurative-based painter who creates surrealist environments in oil-paint, watercolor,
embroidery and 3D printed sculptures. His work explores themes informed by his deep-rooted faith and is
a reflection of his spiritual journey.
From a young age, Christianity was a large inspiration for DeMattico. Following the passing of his
grandfather, he began questioning and seeking answers surrounding the topics of death and life thereafter.
DeMattico sought and found these answers in the Bible and continues to explore, question, and draw
inspiration from it. Justin’s unique blend of portraiture, Christian themes, and symbolism sets him apart
as an artist who fearlessly explores the depths of human existence. DeMattico seeks to inspire people to
question these topics as well and, perhaps, find answers through his work.
He graduated in 2020 with a B.A. in studio art from Monmouth University and afterwards earned his M.F.A.
in painting at Savannah College of Art and Design in 2022.
Prior to college, DeMattico never pursued any type of fine art. Attending a performing arts high school for
digital filmmaking, he was a film editor who set out to become a digital animator. After taking his first
studio painting course in college, he realized fine art is something he was incredibly passionate about and
intended to help others discover their passion for it as well.
Justin is now a professor of art at Cumberland University and Odessa Community College. He previously taught at
Brookdale Community College in New Jersey. He teaches courses such as Painting 1, Figure Drawing, Color Theory, and Drawing 1 and 2. DeMattico now gets to work closely with artists of all different skill levels, from people who have never picked up a pencil to those who have been creating since childhood, helping them continue to refine, hone and develop their abilities as fine artists.
DeMattico also served as a faculty mentor for the Whyman Center for Transformative Learning, working closely with students to develop skills like working with clients, developing and pitching a concept and executing large-scale murals on campus.
He has exhibited widely in his home area of Central New Jersey with organizations like Monmouth Arts, The Monmouth Museum, and Chashama with additional shows in California, Utah and Toronto.
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Artist Statement
I paint alternate Edens where the male form becomes a vessel for redemption, reflection, and divine connection.
Growing up within the Christian faith, I was shaped by stories of paradise, fall, and renewal. Those narratives formed my earliest images of the world: beauty touched by brokenness, humanity reaching toward something holy. As I matured, I wondered what those stories might look like if they were reimagined through a lived experience, drawing upon my feelings for inspiration. What if the landscapes of faith could be rebuilt, revised, or reborn?
In the studio, that question becomes my compass. I draw from Christian iconography and imagined landscapes to create new worlds that soften the tension between sin and salvation. I take inspiration from different Biblical stories, typically whatever feels most relevant to my life at the current moment, stories I can relate to. I flesh through the verses, filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of how I believe those men may have felt.
My ideas combine a reinterpretation of the stories with a new context, like switching the setting to feel more personally connected to me, where I live, and what is on the horizon for me next. My ideas come to fruition in Photoshop collage-inspired “color studies,” where I create the worlds through many source images, including my own original photography. Exploring lighting, saturation, and color palettes and using compositional techniques like the golden ratio, the reference images are created, evolve, and change.
When I create, I often feel isolated. There is a lot of quiet alone time in the studio that I draw upon to create these often isolated figures. I want that quiet, aloneness to be felt throughout the piece, that even in the perfect environments full of beauty and creation, we can still feel alone and lost. Imagining what life would be like existing in these spaces that can only exist in my mind is something I have been playing with: removing figures from my work, having them turned into “statues” or appearing solitary in the pieces.
These are the emotions I try to draw upon in my work. Through portraiture and symbolic environments, I explore the complexity of being human: the pull of longing, the weight of judgment, and the enduring desire for divine connection.
These imagined Edens are both escapes and reflections. They mirror the world as it is, fractured, searching, and lost, yet illuminated by the possibility of renewal.
In the end, my work strives to offer a vision of redemption that feels personal and expansive. I invite viewers to consider grace not as a distant promise, but as something already emerging, embodied, and reaching toward the divine once again.
CV
Education:
2020–2022 M.F.A. in Painting
Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA
2016–2020 B.A. in Fine Arts, Minor in Psychology
Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
Teaching Experience:
2026-Present Adjunct Instructor, Cumberland University, Lebanon, TN
Appointed to teach Painting I within the Fine Arts program
Develop course curriculum, projects, demonstrations, and assessments emphasizing foundational oil painting techniques
Structure progressive studio assignments in value, color mixing, observational painting, underpainting, glazing, and independent artistic development
Prepare instructional materials and studio practices emphasizing technical proficiency, visual problem-solving, and safe painting methods
2026-Present Art Adjunct, Odessa College, Odessa, TX
2022-2026 Adjunct Instructor, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ
Recipient of the 28th Annual Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award
Taught Drawing I, Drawing II, Figure Drawing, and Color Theory
Chaperoned and supported students during an educational visit to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, facilitating direct engagement with historical and contemporary works of art
Supported portfolio development and student artistic direction
2022-2026 Faculty Advisor: Special Projects, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ
Advised students completing faculty-supervised Special Projects and independent studies tailored to individual artistic and academic goals
Guided students from initial concept development and research through experimentation, critique, revision, and final execution
Developed individualized project structures, timelines, and learning objectives based on each student’s area of study and creative practice
2025-2026 Faculty Mentor, Whyman Center for Transformative Learning, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ
Developed the application and selection process for student participation in a collaborative campus public art project
Mentored students through the research, conceptual development, design, planning, proposal presentation and execution of a large-scale mural for Brookdale Community College
Guided students in developing artwork responsive to the campus environment, institutional community, and considerations unique to public art
Facilitated collaboration between student artists, faculty, and institutional leadership throughout the development and approval process
Oversaw the translation of student designs from preliminary concepts and scaled studies into a completed large-scale public artwork
Introduced students to professional practices associated with public art, including proposal development, site considerations, material planning, collaborative decision-making, and installation
Courses Taught:
Painting 1
Drawing I
Drawing II
Figure Drawing
Color Theory
Independent Studies
Curriculum Development:
Partnered with the Department Chair to modernize the Color Theory curriculum by integrating Adobe Photoshop, digital color workflows, and image manipulation alongside traditional studio practices, preparing students for contemporary artistic and professional applications across several fields of art.
Designed and implemented project-based curricula emphasizing observation, visual problem-solving, concept development, and narrative image-making across foundational and upper-level studio courses.
Created structured, multi-week assignments that guide students through research, ideation, color studies, technical experimentation, critique, revision, and final presentation, fostering independent artistic practice and voice.
Developed research-driven capstone projects integrating color theory, art history, design principles, and personal attributes into comprehensive final works.
Introduced instruction in working in a digital space, digital palette development, compositional planning, color studies, and previsualization techniques to strengthen students' understanding of color relationships prior to final execution.
Designed assessments that evaluate: conceptual development, technical proficiency, detail orientation, creative problem-solving, and process documentation throughout semester-long projects.
Awards:
Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award, Brookdale Community College, 2025
Bronze Medal, Guild of Creative Art, 2025
Bronze Medal, Guild of Creative Art, 2023
Mitchell Award for Acrylic Painting, 2022
McKenzie / VanEverdingen Endowed Scholarship, 2018–2020
Professional Development & Certifications:
2023 Online Teaching Certificate, Brookdale Community College. Lincroft, NJ
Training in online course design, digital pedagogy, student engagement, accessibility, and learning management systems
Professional Experience:
2025–2026 Artist-in-Residence, Galerie Lucida, Red Bank, NJ
Developed multiple photographic series and sustained an independent studio practice within a gallery-supported artist residency.
2022 Teaching Assistant, Monmouth University & SCADnow
Assisted with in-person and virtual course instruction under Kimberly Callas and Joy Flynn
2019-2020 Internships
Worked under Kimberly Callas (Monmouth University - Discovering the Ecological Self) and Stephen McMillion (Red Bank Frameworks)
2014-2016 Lab Assistant / Teaching Assistant, East Brunswick Vo-Tech
Supported instruction in digital filmmaking courses under Louis Libitz
Exhibitions:
Solo Exhibitions:
The Secret Gardens of My Mind, ChaShaMa, Matawan, NJ, 2025
Divine Reflections: Navigating Faith and Beauty through Art, ChaShaMa, Matawan, NJ, 2024
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2026
Human Thread, Monmouth Arts, Brookdale Community College Wellness Center, Lincroft, NJ
JAR Group Show, Oyster Point Hotel, Red Bank, NJ
Garden State Art Weekend Group Show, Galerie Lucida, Red Bank, NJ
46th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ
2025
Seen and Unseen, Monmouth Arts, Pollak Gallery, Monmouth University, NJ
33rd October Juried Show, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ
Through The Lens, Monmouth Museum, NJ
Echoes of Eden, Gallery Lucida, Red Bank, NJ
+1, ChaShaMa, Matawan, NJ
45th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, NJ
2024
32nd October Juried Show, Guild of Creative Art, NJ
44th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, NJ
Alchemy, Brookdale Community College Wellness Center, NJ
2023
His Only Son Gallery Event, Angel Studios, UT
Reinvention, Monmouth Arts, Long Branch Cultural Arts Center, NJ
31st October Juried Show, Guild of Creative Art, NJ
43rd Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, NJ
Botanical, Las Laguna Art Gallery (Online)
2013–2022
Additional exhibitions and screenings available upon request
Lectures / Workshops:
Artist Talk, ChaShaMa, 2025
Artist Talk, ChaShaMa, 2024
Artist Talk, Monmouth Arts, 2022
Curatorial Projects:
The Secret Gardens of My Mind, ChaShaMa, 2025
Divine Reflections, ChaShaMa, 2024
Vocabularies of Line (co-curated), Brookdale Community College, 2023
Other-Worldly/Strange Beauty (co-curated), ChaShaMa, 2022
Affiliations:
Professional Artist Association (2025–Present)
Guild of Creative Art (2021–Present)
Monmouth Arts (2020–Present)
